To maintain an ecological balance within an aquarium, it is necessary to clean the aquarium water. Cleaning is often accomplished by pumping water from the aquarium to a filter housing, filtering the water through a filter cartridge, and returning the filtered water to the aquarium.
Some filter cartridges are disposable, replaceable items used for convenience in maintaining the aquarium environment. Through normal use of the cartridge, various trapped particulates can gradually slow or block the passage of water through the cartridge. The cartridge eventually reaches an end of life condition. Maintaining an aquarium requires the user to periodically remove and replace the filter cartridge.
In use, the filter cartridge is submerged within aquarium water and is therefore saturated with water when initially removed from the filter housing. A user typically holds the filter cartridge over the aquarium for a period of time while the water drains from the cartridge; and then attempts to dispose of the filter cartridge without dripping water on electrical components or other items or articles that can be damaged or stained from the water. Often times, even after draining the filter cartridge for an extended period of time, the filter cartridge still retains an amount of water that can drip onto the floor or other items as the cartridge is being transported for disposal.
In general, improvement has been sought with respect to such filter cartridge arrangements, generally to accommodate ease-of-use and convenience for the user.